Following on from what is now quite a lively debate in this thread what do people think?

Would modernising the Skoda brand and logo help shake off the century old jokes and win more customers?

Edited 23 February, 201016 yr by PastyBoy

I don't think so - you can't override ignorance that easily :no:

Following on from what is now quite a lively debate in this thread what do people think?

Would modernising the Skoda brand and logo help shake off the century old jokes and win more customers?

But where's the mandatory age field??

I don't think so - you can't override ignorance that easily :no:

Agreed.

But where's the mandatory age field??

it's all want want want with you chicks!

I've added an "age" question now

Although i don't think there is a way of being able to link the votes so you won't ever see if it's under 25's who want the image changed.

Of course I could be wrong and you could find out by setting up your own poll thread!

I don't think so - you can't override ignorance that easily :no:

Never underestimate the stupidity of the ignorant

Following on from what is now quite a lively debate in this thread what do people think?

Would modernising the Skoda brand and logo help shake off the century old jokes and win more customers?

Sorry to be a pain, but is there a way of linking the age to the vote so we can determine which votes/answers were voted but which age groups?

it's all want want want with you chicks!

I've added an "age" question now

Although i don't think there is a way of being able to link the votes so you won't ever see if it's under 25's who want the image changed.

Of course I could be wrong and you could find out by setting up your own poll thread!

Only just saw this...Ignore my last request RE linking age to vote! It's a shame it can't be done though as it kind of avoids what we are trying to achieve - to find out if it's just the older age groups that want to keep the original skoda look and feel

Oh wonderful tech type person - can we put this in the Yeti section or does it not work that way?

Thank you for doing this.

Only just saw this...Ignore my last request RE linking age to vote! It's a shame it can't be done though as it kind of avoids what we are trying to achieve - to find out if it's just the older age groups that want to keep the original skoda look and feel

As you get older you want less and less change. It will happen to us all at some stage. That is not a dig or a criticism but people feel comfortable with what they know and what they have grown up with. Young people have fewer loyalties as they develop as you grow up.

I would be pretty confident in stating that the younger contributors will be for a badge change and the older ones either will be against it or do not care. The interesting point I think on the age poll is if we get anyone in the below 30 category and how many are in the 31-40 section. I suspect the numbers in both will be low and that is who the re-brand would be targeted at. Now some would state that SEAT fill that gap for the VW range but I am sure Skoda would like a few more from there.

Oh wonderful tech type person - can we put this in the Yeti section or does it not work that way?

Thank you for doing this.

Unfortunately I do not have the suitable priviledges to move the thread but I thought it was a poll that applied ot everyone so put it here

can we put this in the Yeti section or does it not work that way?

Doesn't work that way, it's not model specific.

I think the majority of people know who is behind Skoda nowadays and that they are afar cry from the 'proper' Skoda's.

Any new car manufacturer is going to find it tough at the beginning until their cars have been around for a few years and proved themselves, the same would come from a rebrand - those in the know would know it was still just another VAG product so have no issues in buying one, those not as well informed will probably see it as another new Far East manufacturer.

IMO the best way Skoda can improve their image is to improve the quality of their shockingly poor dealers (note i am not saying they are all poor - just an awful lot of them) it is about time these dealers went the extra mile for the customers.

Nothing in life is perfect, however it is how problems are resolved that is important IMO, providing the product is basically sound (which it is) then the after sales service wll make the difference of returning customers and word of mouth recommendations or the customer leaving the marque.

Gizmo 68 - Thanks for the reply. I am interested to hear your comments about the dealers as this is going to be my first Skoda. Skoda always seem to do very well in the JD Power surveys and they look at the dealers as well as the cars. That seems to be a bit of a contradiction. What is the score there?

I think a rebrand is much needed tbh. And I'm 36yrs old so not exactly a young pup anymore.

The early VW takeover years were accompanied by an ad campaign that was almost apologetic (I forget the slogan now, but that's how the ads came across to me as a non-Skoda owner at the time). Something along the lines of 'yes we know its a skoda, but it's actually rather good' or similar. I think they need to put that attitude behind them, draw a line under the whole preconception thing and reinvent themselves to some extent.

If Volvo can reinvent themselves from the makers of old boxy estate wagons, through interim cars such as the T5 and now with models like the C30 which I actually think is a great looking car, then I'm sure Skoda can do the same. IMHO they need to come up with a badge that doesn't look 'cheap' which I'm afraid the current one does, recruit a few decent designers to give them a stronger identity (drop the new grille for starters) and start fighting the big boys on equal terms instead of coming out as the underdog all the time. Otherwise all they will ever do is sell cars to the enlightened minority, and taxi drivers.

I think a rebrand is much needed tbh. And I'm 36yrs old so not exactly a young pup anymore.

The early VW takeover years were accompanied by an ad campaign that was almost apologetic (I forget the slogan now, but that's how the ads came across to me as a non-Skoda owner at the time). Something along the lines of 'yes we know its a skoda, but it's actually rather good' or similar. I think they need to put that attitude behind them, draw a line under the whole preconception thing and reinvent themselves to some extent.

If Volvo can reinvent themselves from the makers of old boxy estate wagons, through interim cars such as the T5 and now with models like the C30 which I actually think is a great looking car, then I'm sure Skoda can do the same. IMHO they need to come up with a badge that doesn't look 'cheap' which I'm afraid the current one does, recruit a few decent designers to give them a stronger identity (drop the new grille for starters) and start fighting the big boys on equal terms instead of coming out as the underdog all the time. Otherwise all they will ever do is sell cars to the enlightened minority, and taxi drivers.

Excellent bit of copy! Made me giggle

They just need a new Headline car. Leave the badge alone and create some eye catching models; there are enough options in the VAG range that they could add off the shelf to do just that.

I remeber the first VRS being reviewed on Top Gear; that changed my opinion of the brand. Older folks tend to look beyond the badge which is probably why they dont see the need to change it. If Skoda brought out a WRC evolution of the new Fabia VRS, then who knows what would happen to the brand image in the eyes of the youth.

Skoda always seem to do very well in the JD Power surveys and they look at the dealers as well as the cars. That seems to be a bit of a contradiction. What is the score there?

There are some good Skoda dealers around doing their best with what SUK give them, however most unfortunately loose all interest once they have taken your money and a problem arises (unless you are paying their hourly rate, but even then the service can be questionable).

IMO the best solution is to but a car just out of the warranty and either service and repair it yourself or choose a good VAG specialist, keeping away from the dealers as much as possible.

The Passat / Superb 'water ingress' issue is a classic example, this problem has been around for years, so what have VAG done about it? recall all the cars for a 1 1/2hr labours and £1 replacement part? no they denied there was a problem to all their customers - even AFTER they have told their dealers how to fix the problem, they still deny of any knowledge of a problem, instead they wait for the inevitable leak and £1,000 + repair bill that will be required.

They just need a new Headline car. Leave the badge alone and create some eye catching models; there are enough options in the VAG range that they could add off the shelf to do just that.

Such as?

The Superb Combi, Yetti, Roomster ....

If Skoda brought out a WRC evolution of the new Fabia VRS, then who knows what would happen to the brand image in the eyes of the youth.

Ah you mean like a Fabia S2000 Evo 2?

I love the Skoda badge, its different to everyone elses designs. Its a proper badge, like a Fiat badge its classy and colourful unlike the dreary silver focus group design badges, drawn up by faceless design studios... look at the new Citroen badge for a good example of a designer redoing something for the sake of it.

Leave the badge alone, its great and Im not a Skoda fanatic either.. Im a Fiat person at heart

VW have spent years re developing Skoda, theyve done a good job and most people realise Skodas are decent cars. But, it wasnt that long ago that we all thought otherwise and that will take time to totally dissapear. A badge change wont help at all.

If you took the Superb estate ad on the tele at the moment and changed the badges for BMW and 5 series touring it would fool a lot of people. Personally I don't care.

Last time I was in a Skoda showroom, I did think that the Superb 2 actually looks better than the Bayerishe Mist Wagon 5-series saloon!

I'm exactly the type of buyer that Skoda want, and there's nothing wrong with the brand. They are still seen as the "cheap" brand, and it's the same reason why people won't go to Aldi.

I personally have nothing against the brand and quite like the old cars that spawned all the jokes!

I think VW like to keep Skoda in their place too. Take for example the Most recent Golf advert, where everyone is saying "It's just like a Golf", "It handles just like a Golf", "Like a Golf but not a Golf". As soon as I saw that advert, I knew it was aimed at people on the edge of buying a Skoda, but still clinging to the old badge stigma. It says to them if you buy a Skoda, everyone will know you really wanted a VW. Clever marketing as VW wouldn't want Skoda/Seat to take too much of their 'prestige' sales.

They did make one error on the avert though. The purple car with the lads looking at the engine bay actually is a Golf - a Mk3 I think. Correct me if I'm wrong though...

To be honest I quite like them keeping the current badge and branding, though if they were to change it they should use the logo they have on concepts like the joyster. Trouble is I think if they try rebranding again it would be sort of like saying that they got it wrong for the last 10 years. I think that over the last 5 years there has been a big shift in opinion about the brand anyway, think it is only the UK which still has some issue with it.

I think VW like to keep Skoda in their place too. Take for example the Most recent Golf advert, where everyone is saying "It's just like a Golf", "It handles just like a Golf", "Like a Golf but not a Golf". As soon as I saw that advert, I knew it was aimed at people on the edge of buying a Skoda, but still clinging to the old badge stigma. It says to them if you buy a Skoda, everyone will know you really wanted a VW.

I have to be honest, I think VW are flattering themselves a little if they think the Golf is held in as high esteem as they make out. My last car was a Mk4 Golf GTTDI and to be honest, it wasn't "all that". Yeah they are ok, but also common as muck and still come with the same issues that affect other models within the VAG range.

Clever marketing as VW wouldn't want Skoda/Seat to take too much of their 'prestige' sales.

This occurred to me earlier after reading t'other post about a chap who's just moved from a VW to a Skoda (same as me). It got me thinking, perhaps VW like to keep Skoda in their place for owners who like the VAG range but find VW's running costs a little bit salty. Skoda are ideally placed to 'catch' those customers on their way downstream, whereas they may otherwise go running towards Ford or Pug/Renault... :yes: